Boxing Tips for Beginners

When it comes to learning how to box, it can be a little intimidating. At African Ring, we are passionate about boxing and so we have put together some helpful advice to help the those of you who are starting up. Implemented these boxing will improve a beginner’s technic drastically.

Breathing

The first and most important tip for beginners is breathing. Improper breathing can cause you to run out of steam fast. If you are working on the bag, try taking a breath before every combination. Breath out as you throw a punch. If you are doing a combo, step back for a second and breathe in again after you are done with the combo. Breathing properly and sticking with this pattern will prevent you from getting tired easily and increase your punching power.

When sparring and your opponent is coming at you it is easy to panic and breath erratically. Remember to stay calm and remain in control of your breathing while you spar. Not breathing properly will leave you feeling overwhelmed and this will lead you to make mistakes. The best thing to do is to keep the same breathing patterns you use when doing bag work when you are sparring. Using this boxing tip can help make you a more competitive sparring partner.

Relax

Newbies in boxing classes stand out because of their clenched jaw, tensed muscles and rigid punches. Relaxation is the key to boxing, throwing relaxed punches and improved power and speed. Lower your shoulders refrain from keeping your shoulders tight otherwise you end up looking like a turtle in its shell. Loosen up your shoulders a little bit and don’t clench your fists too tightly in your gloves. The best thing to do is to relax your hands until the split-second before you hit your target. Loosen up, relax and you’ll look and feel much better.

Footwork

Footwork is the final tip and a super important one for beginners that is often overlooked but is crucial for defensive and offensive reasons. The trick is to make sure you are always on the balls of your feet and not putting a lot of weight on your front foot. If you put too much weight on your front foot it will take too long for you to move out of the way of a punch or to move towards your opponent to strike. Angles are also important don’t just go straight backwards or forwards when you spar. Focus on using angles to go backwards or forwards. Don’t just step back to dodge a punch, instead opt for sliding your back foot and turn your body about 45 degrees. Doing this will help by placing you in a perfect position dodge and counter punch.